Tunisia has appointed French tactician, Hervé Renard, as head coach following the 5-1 hammering in the hands of Sweden in their first game at the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
Tunisia hired Renard as successor for sacked Sabri Lamouchi, who was in charge of the side during the drubbing defeat to Sweden, the Gallic man expected to take charge of the North Africans as they strive to make the knockout stage of the mundial competition.
The decision, made on Tuesday, marks a historic moment in World Cup history, as Tunisia become the first men’s national team to change head coaches after playing just one match at the tournament.
57-year-old Renard has been out of management since being sacked by Saudi Arabia in April, bringing his second stint with the national team to an end.
He possesses significant international experience, having led Morocco at the 2018 World Cup in their first appearance since 1998, as well as guiding Saudi Arabia to a shock group stage win over eventual champions Argentina in 2022.
The new appointee has also coached Zambia and Ivory Coast, winning the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, with each side in 2012 and 2015 respectively.
Renard’s experience also include steering France women’s team to the quarter finals of the 2023 World Cup, but he is now saddled with a stiffer task in helping the Carthage Eagles muster wins in their remaining group against Japan on June 20 and the Netherlands on June 25 to qualify for the next round.